


The Darkness Within

by Fenchurch87



Series: The Way of the Warden [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Battle, Character Death, Darkspawn, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 11:32:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15387858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: A darkspawn attack brings Rhodri Mahariel face-to-face with an old friend. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	The Darkness Within

_Contentment is a strange and elusive thing_ , Rhodri Mahariel thought to himself. _You always find it at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places._ He wondered if anyone had ever found it at a stranger time and in a stranger place than him. _During a Blight, in the arms of a silver tongued assassin._

“Zev?”

“Mmm?” Zevran opened one eye and gave him a lazy smile.

“How is your hair so soft?” He ran his fingers through Zevran's silky blonde locks. “What do you do to it?”

Zevran chuckled. “That is a closely guarded Crows secret. I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you. And that would be a terrible shame, my Red Wolf. Especially when there are so many more... pleasant things I could be doing to you.”

“Really? What sort of things?” He raised an eyebrow, trying to appear nonchalant, but the wicked glint in Zevran's eye was making his heart thump in his chest.

The assassin smirked. “Let me show you,” he said, and suddenly Rhodri was lying on his back and Zevran's mouth was covering his. He wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders and gave himself up to the kiss. _True contentment._

And then he felt it. A scratching at the edge of his thoughts, and a vileness in the air that made him want to vomit. He sat up abruptly and reached for his clothes.

“What is it?” Zevran asked, a hint of worry entering his voice.

“Darkspawn are coming. I can feel them.”

Zevran muttered an Antivan curse and started dressing hurriedly. Rhodri threw on his chestplate over his undershirt and leggings, tangling the straps in his haste, but there was no time to tie them properly. He grabbed his daggers and stumbled barefoot out of the tent, Zevran following close behind him.

“Darkspawn!” he shouted, as he ran towards where the vileness was strongest. “Darkspawn! Wake up!” Solona and Alistair emerged from their tent moments later, and added their shouts to his. More figures appeared, all in various states of half-dress. Ivan galloped along beside Solona, barking furiously.

A deafening screech brought everyone up short, and then the shrieks were upon them. Rhodri spun to his right and thrust a dagger into the heart of the nearest creature. He withdrew the blade just in time to block a swipe from another shriek. He readied a counter-attack, but the darkspawn collapsed before he could strike, a knife in its back. Zevran pulled his dagger free, grinned, and then disappeared into the heart of the battle.

A dark shape emerged from the trees and came to a stop beside him. A wolf. “ _Aneth ara_ ,” he called by way of greeting. “Will you help us?” The wolf lowered its head, a sign of agreement, and leapt towards one of the remaining shrieks.

Rhodri fought on, the darkspawns' screams and his friends' shouts ringing in his ears. Solona and Morrigan hurled frost, freezing their foes so that a single blow could shatter them into a thousand pieces. He saw Oghren cut off a shriek's head with his axe, roaring curses as he did so. Another creature fell at his feet, its body peppered with arrows.

At last, it was over. Swords and axes were sheathed, and breathless voices asked each other if they were alright. The wolf returned to Rhodri's side, and he gently stroked the top of its head. “ _Ma serannas._ ” The wolf looked towards the trees, and then back at him, questioning. He nodded. “ _Dareth shiral_ ,” he said, as the wolf loped into the forest.

“You...” The voice sounded almost familiar, and he turned towards the sound. “ _Lethallin_...”

He stared at the gaunt figure that stood before him. _No_ , he thought. _It can't be._ But he knew that nose. “Tamlen?” he whispered. “Is that you?”

“Don't come near me!” Tamlen croaked. “Stay away!” He began to run towards the forest, and Rhodri followed him into the trees. It wasn't long before he caught up.

He stared at his friend. Tamlen was barely recognisable. His blue eyes that had been full of mischief and laughter were now sunken and lifeless. His skin had turned grey, and he had lost all of his thick blonde hair that he had once been so proud of. “What happened to you? I couldn't find you. I thought you'd gone with the clan.”

“Don't look at me!” Tamlen rasped. “I am sick.”

_The taint._ “I'm sick too, Tamlen,” he said. “But my friends are helping me. Solona – she's the leader – she thinks that becoming a Grey Warden will cure me. And Wynne is a healer. She's keeping the illness at bay until I can go through the Joining. They can help you too, and we can join the Grey Wardens together.”

Tamlen shook his head. “No help... for me. The song... in my head. It calls to me. He sings to me, and I can't stop it! I don't want to hurt you, _lethallin_. You must stop me. Please...”

“Tamlen, no! We can help you!”

“Too... far. You cannot help me.” Tamlen's eyes briefly met his. “I'm... sorry.”

The creature that had once been Tamlen lashed out with its right arm, claws reaching for his eyes. He ducked instinctively, and then aimed a swift kick at the creature's legs. The ghoul fell to the ground, landing on its back, and he drove a dagger into its chest before it could rise and attack again.

_Tamlen._ Grief and remorse washed over him as he stared at his friend's body. “ _Ir abelas, lethallin_ ,” he whispered. “I'm so sorry.”

It was then that the taint took hold, and he fell to his knees, suddenly overwhelmed with weakness. An invisible hand closed around his throat, making him gasp for breath. Blurry figures and concerned voices surrounded him, all talking at once so that he couldn't make out any of the words. Until one voice rose above all the others.

“Get him into the tent.” Was that Wynne? He couldn't be sure. And then hands grasped his shoulders, gently but firmly pulling him to his feet.

Somebody was walking beside him, guiding him... guiding him somewhere. He could feel an arm around his waist, holding him upright, and then someone took his hand in theirs and stroked his fingers.

“Come now, my Red Wolf,” a voice murmured. He couldn't remember who the voice belonged to, but it made him feel safe. “It will be alright. You will be alright.”

 


End file.
